1. Cascades eco-friendly wrapping paper

I don’t like wrapping presents.  Not only can’t I fold perfect corners, but I can’t help but feel it is a waste of paper, especially for a large present.

Sure children delight in tearing it to pieces, and I have tried saving it, but let’s admit it…wrapping paper is a single-use product like a plastic bag.

There are a lot of great alternatives to paper wrapping.  Reusable shopping bags, like [amazon_link id=”B00559TTLW” target=”_blank” ]ChicoBag [/amazon_link], are great, but really, how many shopping bags does one person need. I already have them coming out my ears.  Fabric is also a great alternative, but it is more expensive, and you have to be a quilter to really put those scraps to use.

Cascades has a great, eco-friendly wrapping paper:

Did you know that many types of wrapping paper are not recyclable? The Cascades Boutique team decided to fix this situation by coming out with 100% recycled fibre wrapping paper. It is one of the only industrial packaging papers made in Canada! In addition to being recyclable, the paper comes in various designs and colours.

In order to make this product greener, the paper is rolled without using a cardboard core. Therefore, the roll appears smaller than the standard roll. However, since 10 metres of paper is provided, it means you can wrap many gifts from the same economical format roll.

I really like this paper, and it is way more affordable than other recycled gift paper I have seen.  Four rolls for $12 is a great deal, and the rolls contain a lot of paper. Plus, I love that they are missing those cardboard tubes in the middle. Way to go Cascades!

Would I buy this product?  Yes!

2. Bumblelina

Bumblelina by Sherrie A. Madia, Ph.D. and illustrated by Patrick Carlson is a simple story about a little, preschool bee. She is small and can’t fly like her peers, but she doesn’t give up. Eventually a gust of wind helps her out, and she learns to flap her wings.

Her friends celebrate her success.

“My youngest daughter, Anna, once told me she would ‘speak in big words so I would understand,’ which both made me laugh, and really hit home. While I’d like to think I’m pretty good at communicating, I sometimes forget that when I’m not writing textbooks, I don’t need to talk like one!” says Dr. Madia.

So why write a series of books for children?

“My daughters challenged me to write something simple, and Bumblelina became our latest family project,” Madia says. “We carried through the simplicity of the words, designed to engage children in the rhythmic sounds, by keeping the illustrations in simple sketch form with just a hidden spot of color on each page,” she adds…

“This book teaches children the timeless lesson of trying—about the importance of perseverance,” says Madia. “If you work hard at something and don’t give up, you can achieve your goal. In our instant-message society, teaching patience and hard work is more important than ever before,” adds Madia.

I do like the simplicity of the book, as too often children’s books are overdone and odd in both text and illustration as a result. It is a simple sweet story, but I think something may be missing to truly get the message of perseverance across.  A few more trial and errors, perhaps, would make the story stronger.

Would I buy this book? Maybe. There isn’t anything eco-friendly about it, unfortunately.

3. Plan Toys Planactivity Cake Set Play Set

Non-toxic glue, replenshible rubberwood…you can’t go wrong with Plan Toys when seeking out truly eco-friendly play. We have long been a fan of Plan Toys (my son loves the trucks), and yes, sometimes we need to reglue parts, but that’s to be expected with wooden toys.

We were sent the Plan Toys Planactivity Cake Set Play Set:

From the Manufacturer

The set includes a cake with toppings, a cake turntable, a cake server and an icing bag. The cake can also be cut into 6 slices. Great for pretend or imaginative play. Under the Green Concept Design PlanToys selects only materials and manufacturers utilizing a minimal waste concept. PlanToys long-term commitment to social programs promotes healthy child development and environmental protection. All PlanToys are made using chemical free, kiln-dried recycled rubberwood and designed with water based non-toxic colors as accent. A small wooden playthings can produce big change. Through innovation and commitment to design excellence, PlanToys team of child development experts play a critical role in developing their selection of diverse wooden toys.

Product Description

Children can make a pretend cake and decorate for loads of imaginative play. This cake set from Plan Toys includes a cake with toppings, a cake turntable, a cake server and an icing bag. The cake can then be “cut” into 6 pieces for serving to guests. For children 3 years and older. Box measures 7.4 x 2.2 x 7.4 inches.